Blake Lively would have 'refused' a Super Bowl invite from Taylor Swift if she got one because she would 'never want to overshadow' the popstar. When Swift's face appeared on the Super Bowl jumbotron on Sunday, Lively's notable absence sparked curiosity. Swift, who is currently dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, often attends their games with a star-studded entourage. Last year, she was joined by several friends as the Chiefs secured the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the second consecutive year, defeating the San Francisco 49ers.
The global superstar drew attention in the VIP section of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, accompanied by actress Lively, rapper Ice Spice, and childhood friend Ashley Avignone. However, Lively was absent this year amid an ongoing legal dispute with her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, fuelling online speculation. Contrary to rumours of a rift between the two, an insider claimed that Lively was actually doing Swift a favour by not "overshadowing" her and Kelce's night. According to Marie Claire, the source said: "Even if Taylor did invite Blake, Blake would not come. She would never want to make Taylor's big night – where she is going to see the love of her life play in another Super Bowl – about her. Blake would not want to overshadow Taylor ever.".
The sweet gesture from Lively may do little, however, to console Swift and Kelce. The night was more of a downer than a delight for the power couple as their team, the Chiefs, took a hit from the Philadelphia Eagles, ending with a disheartening 40-22 defeat. Swift was caught off guard when boos rang out as her face appeared on the jumbotron during the match. Puzzled by the unwelcome response, she didn't have to wait long for backup as Serena Williams came to the rescue, expressing her support for Swift on social media. The tennis star tweeted in solidarity: "I love you @taylorswift13 don't listen to those booo! ! ".
As the game dragged on, Swift's spirits seemed to fall in tandem with the dwindling hopes of the Chiefs' fans. Post-match chatter buzzed with speculation over Kelce's future, noting his upcoming 36th birthday next season raising retirement questions. Avoiding the post-game press frenzy, Kelce gave the slip on direct queries about his career plans yet offered some reflection amidst the locker room echo. He said: "We haven't played that bad all year. We just couldn't find that spark, couldn't find that momentum.".
Previously on his New Heights podcast, Kelce opened up about the one team he'd possibly play for besides his adored Kansas City Chiefs—a yet-to-be-realised NFL team in London. Kelce mused last year about such a prospect, saying: "I'm waiting for that team [a team based in London] to play for another team other than the Chiefs.". Get the latest news and deepest insight with End Zone - our NFL newsletter.
